editorNPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94NPR Digital Services RSS Generator 0.94Ari ShapiroFri, 16 Feb 2018 09:45:21 +0000Ari Shapirohttp://wrvo.org
Ari ShapiroThis year, Bill and Melinda Gates are doing something a little different with their annual letter . They are answering what they call some of the "toughest questions" from their foundation's critics. On the list: Is it fair that you have the influence you do? Why don't you give more to the United States? Why do you give your money away? Since its inception, the Gates Foundation has given $41.3 billion in grants, including a grant to NPR. After the letter was published on Tuesday, Bill Gates joined Ari Shapiro of NPR's All Things Considered to answer a few more tough questions. These responses have been condensed and edited. Ari Shapiro: You have greater spending power than many countries. Unlike a government, you don't have checks and balances or the same level of transparency. How do you respond to that criticism? Bill Gates: We're fascinated to know what alternate priorities are being suggested. We want to make sure we're being smart about which things we pick. In health, we look atBill Gates Addresses 'Tough Questions' On Poverty And Power http://wrvo.org/post/bill-gates-addresses-tough-questions-poverty-and-power
114766 as http://wrvo.orgTue, 13 Feb 2018 22:05:00 +0000Bill Gates Addresses 'Tough Questions' On Poverty And Power Read this story in English. Se suponía que iba a ser un día perfecto. Alex pensaba levantarse a las 6:30 a.m., alistar a sus hermanos para ir a la escuela y tomar el autobús a las 7:00 a.m. Después de clases, el muchacho de 14 años iba a jugar su primer partido de futbol americano, un evento que había esperado durante semanas. Al fin se iba a poner la camiseta del equipo, de color morado y con cuello de tela de camuflaje. Pero más importante que el partido en sí era que su padre, Manuel, iba a estar allí, junto a la cancha, para vitorearlo y aplaudirlo. Pero ese día, Alex se despertó con los gritos y los sollozos de su madre quien lloraba afuera de su cuarto. Pero cuando se paró de la cama, ya era demasiado tarde. Su padre ya no estaba en casa: iba rumbo a la cárcel del condado, para luego ser enviado a un centro de detención para inmigrantes, donde pasaría los siguientes seis meses en espera de lo que el gobierno decidiera sobre su futuro en los Estados Unidos. Manuel es oriundo dePadre, Esposo E Inmigrante: Detenido Y Con El Riesgo De Ser Deportadohttp://wrvo.org/post/padre-esposo-e-inmigrante-detenido-y-con-el-riesgo-de-ser-deportado
114646 as http://wrvo.orgSun, 11 Feb 2018 13:38:00 +0000Padre, Esposo E Inmigrante: Detenido Y Con El Riesgo De Ser DeportadoAri ShapiroThe stock market swung dramatically up and down on Wednesday, ending about where it started the day — after record losses earlier in the week. President Trump's top economic adviser says it's important to keep the volatility in context. "The fact is that the fundamentals for the economy are very sound," Kevin Hassett says in an interview with NPR. "Wages are going up a lot. Even in the employment report that came out last week, we saw the highest rate of wage growth in about a decade." He says the recent volatility is "not related to the fundamentals, which as the president notes , are very strong." Interview Highlights On whether the stock market turmoil was predictable There have been times when we're pretty close to a recent recession where when we get positive job news, it's a real positive. There have been other times where we're as advanced as we are now into a recovery and when we get lots of positive news, like we're seeing, it's viewed by markets as good news as well, becauseWhite House Says Despite Stock Market Volatility, Economy Is Doing Wellhttp://wrvo.org/post/white-house-says-despite-stock-market-volatility-economy-doing-well
114514 as http://wrvo.orgWed, 07 Feb 2018 23:21:00 +0000White House Says Despite Stock Market Volatility, Economy Is Doing WellAri ShapiroJustin Timberlake has had an eventful week: He turned 37 on Wednesday, dropped a new album Friday and danced his shoes off Sunday as part of football's biggest night. The reception to the latter two has been mixed: Man of the Woods is shaping up to be his worst-reviewed solo work by a mile, and his Super Bowl performance unfolded in the long shadow of his 2004 performance with Janet Jackson , when half a second of exposed flesh sparked a major TV controversy and arguably derailed Jackson's career. Ari Shapiro spoke with NPR Music critic Ann Powers about why Timberlake, who once rocketed out of the teenybopper world to become a standard bearer of futuristic pop, now seems so out of step with his moment. Hear the radio version at the audio link and read more of their conversation below. Ari Shapiro: This is not the first time Justin Timberlake has done the Super Bowl halftime show — of course, his 2004 performance with Janet Jackson was overshadowed by that notorious wardrobe malfunctionAs The Pop World Seeks Accountability, Justin Timberlake Seems Lost In The Woodshttp://wrvo.org/post/pop-world-seeks-accountability-justin-timberlake-seems-lost-woods
114405 as http://wrvo.orgMon, 05 Feb 2018 22:13:00 +0000As The Pop World Seeks Accountability, Justin Timberlake Seems Lost In The WoodsAri ShapiroCopyright 2018 NPR. To see more, visit ARI SHAPIRO, HOST: Stop me if you've heard this one before. (SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "GROUNDHOG DAY") BILL MURRAY: (As Phil) It's February 2, Groundhog Day. SHAPIRO: Today is not just the day that Punxsutawney Phil looks for his shadow. This year is also the 25th anniversary of the movie "Groundhog Day." (SOUNDBITE OF FILM, "GROUNDHOG DAY") MURRAY: (As Phil) A thousand people freezing their butts off, waiting to worship a rat. SHAPIRO: The Bill Murray comedy about a weatherman who lives the same day over and over has had staying power. Philosophy classes include "Groundhog Day" in their syllabus. There was even a Broadway adaptation - "Groundhog Day: The Musical." (SOUNDBITE OF MUSICAL, "GROUNDHOG DAY: THE MUSICAL") UNIDENTIFIED ACTORS: (As characters, singing) If I had my time again, I'd open all the doors I never looked behind before and... SHAPIRO: Mary Elizabeth Williams has written about why this movie struck a chord, and she has a new articleHow To Understand The Philosophy Of 'Groundhog Day' And Live Life By Its Messagehttp://wrvo.org/post/how-understand-philosophy-groundhog-day-and-live-life-its-message
114310 as http://wrvo.orgFri, 02 Feb 2018 21:29:00 +0000How To Understand The Philosophy Of 'Groundhog Day' And Live Life By Its MessageAri ShapiroLea Berman and Jeremy Bernard have organized state dinners and congressional picnics, each serving as White House social secretary for different administrations. Bernard worked for President Obama; Berman for President George W. Bush. And they've collaborated on a new book that uses their White House experiences to draw out lessons in how to handle crises, defuse awkward moments and manage expectations. It's called Treating People Well: The Extraordinary Power Of Civility At Work And In Life . The book is about "the everyday situations we find ourselves in," Berman says. "Sometimes it's an awkward relationship with a co-worker. Sometimes it's just a difficult situation at home. And what we're really saying is by treating people well in a very self-interested way, you will cause them to treat you well in return." Interview Highlights On what a social secretary does Lea Berman: The White House social secretary is responsible for every event that takes place within the grounds of theFormer White House Social Secretaries On The Value Of 'Treating People Well'http://wrvo.org/post/former-white-house-social-secretaries-value-treating-people-well
113198 as http://wrvo.orgTue, 09 Jan 2018 22:16:00 +0000Former White House Social Secretaries On The Value Of 'Treating People Well'Ari ShapiroCopyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit ARI SHAPIRO, HOST: At the White House this afternoon, President Trump celebrated the final passage of Republicans' massive tax legislation. He spoke surrounded by dozens of GOP lawmakers, basking in the glow of a major legislative victory. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: I have a whole list of accomplishments that the group behind me have done in terms of this administration and this Congress, but you've heard it before - records all over the place. And that will continue and then some because of what we did. SHAPIRO: Among other things, the bill slashes the corporate tax rate from 35 to 21 percent. It also gives most Americans some kind of tax cut next year. So far, polls suggest the measure is unpopular. NPR national political correspondent Mara Liasson joins us now from the White House. Hi, Mara. MARA LIASSON, BYLINE: Hi, Ari. SHAPIRO: The president referred just then to records all over the place. How big of anTrump's Tax Win: The Political Riskshttp://wrvo.org/post/trumps-tax-win-political-risks
112445 as http://wrvo.orgWed, 20 Dec 2017 21:47:00 +0000Trump's Tax Win: The Political RisksAri ShapiroCopyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit ARI SHAPIRO, HOST: Now to special counsel Robert Mueller's investigation into whether Trump campaign officials coordinated with Russian efforts to undermine the 2016 elections. Trump's allies have become more critical of the investigation. They're questioning whether some of the investigators are biased against Trump. And now a lawyer affiliated with Trump's transition team is raising concerns about how the special counsel obtained some emails. People on the left worry that this all means the president could be preparing to fire Mueller. NPR White House correspondent Tamara Keith joins us now here in the studio to talk about all this. Hey, Tam. TAMARA KEITH, BYLINE: Hey. SHAPIRO: Let's start with that transition team lawyer's claim. What is it? KEITH: So he wrote a letter to two congressional committees on Saturday alleging that Mueller's team had inappropriately obtained thousands of emails from the transition period that were housed onTrump Allies Push To Discredit Mueller Investigationhttp://wrvo.org/post/trump-allies-push-discredit-mueller-investigation
112328 as http://wrvo.orgMon, 18 Dec 2017 22:20:00 +0000Trump Allies Push To Discredit Mueller InvestigationAri ShapiroAs millions of people have fled Syria, they haven't been able to take much with them on their journey. Families often had to abandon the things that reminded them of home. So the recipes that bring them back to the places they left behind are precious. Dina Mousawi and Itab Azzam are the authors of a new cookbook, Our Syria: Recipes From Home. For the book they interviewed Syrian refugees scattered around Europe and the Middle East. The book gathers their stories, along with the recipes that remind them of home. Azzam grew grew up in southwestern Syria, near Jordan, and moved to the U.K. six years ago. She's mostly a filmmaker and theater producer, not a professional chef, but food is what occupies her when she's not working. "I didn't come to the U.K. as a refugee — I was lucky enough to get a scholarship to do my masters degree here in London," Azzam says. "So I came here in September 2011, just a few months after the uprising started ... and then I stayed." In Our Syria, AzzamIn 'Our Syria' Cookbook, Women Share Stories, Safeguard A Scattered Cuisinehttp://wrvo.org/post/our-syria-cookbook-women-share-stories-safeguard-scattered-cuisine
111098 as http://wrvo.orgTue, 21 Nov 2017 04:56:00 +0000In 'Our Syria' Cookbook, Women Share Stories, Safeguard A Scattered CuisineAri ShapiroDan Rather's career has entered a new phase. At age 86, he's again speaking to millions of people every day. It's not at CBS, where he anchored the Evening News for decades — instead, Facebook has given him a new audience. That's where he writes essays about the news of the day. Here's an excerpt of what he posted this past Monday, when members of the Trump campaign were indicted. We are a nation of laws. President Donald Trump and all those around him who have not yet been named in an indictment have the presumption of innocence. As do those who have been arrested and not plead guilty. But what has unfolded today is the working of a very meticulous and seasoned prosecutor who is sending an unambiguous message. This is real. And a lot more is out there. The shockwaves coursing through Washington and the world are only beginning. Make no mistake, Bob Mueller almost assuredly knows a lot more than he has let on. He also knows how to unfold a prosecution, to turn up the heat, send shotsDan Rather, An Unlikely Essayist, On 'What Unites Us'http://wrvo.org/post/dan-rather-unlikely-essayist-what-unites-us
110422 as http://wrvo.orgFri, 03 Nov 2017 22:49:56 +0000Dan Rather, An Unlikely Essayist, On 'What Unites Us'Ari ShapiroIndonesia is the fourth most populous country in the world, and its population is young — the median age there is 29, nearly a decade younger than the U.S. or China. People in the capital city of Jakarta also tweet more than in almost any city in the world. Social media is, in fact, one of the threads that ties this country of more than 17,000 islands together. One of those social media celebrities is 29-year-old food blogger and Instagram enthusiast Prawnche Ngaditowo, who is known online as " foodventurer ." Ngaditowo is of Chinese descent, but he grew up in the Indonesian city of Medan, where his father was a prawn farmer (hence his name). He moved to Jakarta after high school. At an outdoor food court, with dozens of hawkers selling dishes from all over the country, Ngaditowo talks with All Things Considered host Ari Shapiro about the foods and social media outlets that help bind this sprawling country together. Interview highlights contain some web-only extended answers. ThisIndonesian Food Blogger: The Unifying Power Of Cuisine And Social Mediahttp://wrvo.org/post/indonesian-food-blogger-unifying-power-cuisine-and-social-media
110403 as http://wrvo.orgFri, 03 Nov 2017 21:24:00 +0000Indonesian Food Blogger: The Unifying Power Of Cuisine And Social MediaAri ShapiroIt's a late Saturday morning and a dozen men are hanging out in a scraggly playing field in Borobudur, Indonesia. There's a shaded dugout along one edge, and a worn patch of dirt in the center that makes this look like a lopsided baseball diamond. It's training day at the Lapak Netral pigeon racer club. To race, you must have a pair of birds. Pigeons, it turns out, mate for life. The male bird is the racer, and returning to the female provides his motivation. The males are piled into a cage and ferried by motorbike to a release spot about 2 miles away. Ken Rapopo, 40, pulls two birds from the cage and holds them up in the air, one in each hand. He pulls his arms back, then flings the birds up. A split-second later, they spread their wings and start flapping. The two pigeons circle the field and Rapopo reports their movements by walkie-talkie. Suddenly one bird changes direction and flies in a direct line toward the goal, where his female partner awaits. He disappears over the trees andThe Pigeon Racers Of Indonesiahttp://wrvo.org/post/pigeon-racers-indonesia
110387 as http://wrvo.orgFri, 03 Nov 2017 15:11:00 +0000The Pigeon Racers Of IndonesiaAri ShapiroBelow a highway overpass in Yogyakarta, Indonesia, college students eat fried noodles and spicy chicken stew from brightly lit food stalls that fill this gritty space. The noise of cars and trucks rumbling overhead mingles with the sound of jets landing at the nearby airport. A singer's voice begins to pierce this dense cacophony. She has woven palm fronds into her hair to create a headpiece that crowns her sparkly pink outfit. Diners tip her before turning back to their meals. The busker's name is Madame Ruly and she is a fixture in the Yogyakarta community of waria — loosely, though imperfectly, translated as transwomen. The word combines two Indonesian words: "wanita," or woman, and "pria," or man. As a third gender, waria — biological men who live as women — have been part of Indonesian society for as long as anyone can remember, many years before the modern gay rights movement in the country. Yet they are often disowned by their own family members who disapprove of their childrenTransgender Women Of Indonesia Have A Champion In A 26-Year-Old Doctorhttp://wrvo.org/post/transgender-women-indonesia-have-champion-26-year-old-doctor
110360 as http://wrvo.orgThu, 02 Nov 2017 22:53:00 +0000Transgender Women Of Indonesia Have A Champion In A 26-Year-Old DoctorAri ShapiroCopyright 2018 NPR. To see more, visit ARI SHAPIRO, HOST: Jakarta, Indonesia, has the second-largest population of any metropolitan area in the world right after Tokyo. This year, just after the U.S. inaugurated a new president, Jakarta chose a new governor. The campaign played on identity politics, and it ended with the incumbent in prison. The story has certain echoes of American politics. TOM PEPINSKY: I'd like to think of Indonesia as a case from which we might learn both the positive aspects of democracy and the challenges that democratization places on diverse societies. SHAPIRO: Tom Pepinsky is an Indonesia expert who teaches government at Cornell University, and he's going to help us tell this story today. PEPINSKY: Indonesia's national motto is bhinneka tunggal ika, which means roughly unity in diversity, which sounds a lot like e pluribus unum in the United States. SHAPIRO: Which means out of many one. I wanted to understand what happened in Jakarta's election and whatSome Indonesians Fear Country's Religious Intolerance Is Growinghttp://wrvo.org/post/some-indonesians-fear-countrys-religious-intolerance-growing
110245 as http://wrvo.orgTue, 31 Oct 2017 22:33:00 +0000Some Indonesians Fear Country's Religious Intolerance Is GrowingAri ShapiroAs home to 250 million people speaking hundreds of languages and spanning some 17,000 islands in an area as wide as the continental U.S., Indonesia is one of the most populous and diverse countries in the world. The country is about 88 percent Muslim, and it is also home to Christians, Buddhists, Hindus and Confucians. It's a place that prides itself on diversity and sees it as a source of strength. "We cannot afford not to have this diversity," says Budi Bowoleksono, Indonesia's ambassador to the United States . The country's founding philosophy, " Pancasila ," includes the notions of unity and social justice for all. Religion, politics and culture hold the country together — but there are growing concerns that the country is becoming less tolerant than it used to be. The former governor of Jakarta, a Christian, was recently imprisoned on charges of blasphemy . Schools funded by Saudi Arabia are disseminating a stricter version of Islam than the country has previously embraced.PHOTOS: Indonesia At A Crossroads http://wrvo.org/post/photos-indonesia-crossroads
110180 as http://wrvo.orgMon, 30 Oct 2017 21:06:00 +0000PHOTOS: Indonesia At A Crossroads Ari ShapiroThe actress and comedian Amy Sedaris has become famous for her roles in shows like Strangers With Candy and Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt . At the same time, she has always harbored a not-so-secret love of home crafting projects. She's written books about it — Simple Times: Crafts for Poor People , and I Like You: Hospitality Under the Influence — and now, she has a program on Tru TV, At Home With Amy Sedaris , inspired by the shows she loved as a kid. Interview Highlights On her inspirations I grew up with these two local hospitality shows, At Home with Peggy Mann , and the Bette Elliott show. And that's what triggered the whole thing. I remember pointing to the TV when I was ten, saying, "I'm going to do that show when I grow up." And then I was inspired by Red Skelton and Ernie Kovacs and Lawrence Welk, and Galloping Gourmet and Frugal Gourmet and Julia Child, and Two Fat Ladies, I mean, all those shows. But that's the thing — like, Martha Stewart, who's really talented, and she hadThe Best Hostess Gift? A Pound Of Butter, Says Amy Sedarishttp://wrvo.org/post/best-hostess-gift-pound-butter-says-amy-sedaris
109927 as http://wrvo.orgTue, 24 Oct 2017 21:09:00 +0000The Best Hostess Gift? A Pound Of Butter, Says Amy SedarisAri ShapiroRasika, an Indian restaurant in Washington, D.C., has won just about every recognition possible. The Washington Post called it the No. 1 restaurant in the city. The chef has won a James Beard award — basically the Oscars of the food world. President Obama celebrated his birthday there — twice. And though the place has been open for more than a decade, it is only just now coming out with a cookbook. Rasika's owner, Ashok Bajaj, has run high-end restaurants in Washington since the 1980s — places where you might spot a senator or even the president. He had a fancy Indian restaurant in London, called Bombay Brasserie, but when he first tried to do something similar in D.C., he ran into walls. Every landlord told his location scout, "We don't want our lobby to smell like curry." "And I would say, put me in front of the landlord, let me talk to them," Bajaj says. "It is no different than an Italian restaurant or an American restaurant, where you use a lot of garlic and other spices. And seeIn New Cookbook, Acclaimed Indian Restaurant Finally Spills Its Secretshttp://wrvo.org/post/new-cookbook-acclaimed-indian-restaurant-finally-spills-its-secrets
109690 as http://wrvo.orgWed, 18 Oct 2017 19:33:00 +0000In New Cookbook, Acclaimed Indian Restaurant Finally Spills Its SecretsAri ShapiroJournalist Franklin Foer worries that we're all losing our minds as big tech companies infiltrate every aspect of our lives. In his new book, World Without Mind: The Existential Threat of Big Tech , Foer compares the way we feel about technology now to the way people felt about pre-made foods, like TV dinners, when they were first invented. "And we thought that they were brilliant because they did away with pots and pans — we didn't have to go to the store to go shopping every day — and then we woke up 50 years later and realize that these products had been basically engineered to make us fat," Foer says. "And I worry that the same thing is happening now to the things that we ingest through our mind." Interview Highlights On why tech companies' control of the market is problematic They pose as these neutral marketplaces, yet when they have their own things to sell, they give them special advantages. We saw this with Yelp and Google, where Yelp was this great way to get recommendations'World Without Mind': How Tech Companies Pose An Existential Threathttp://wrvo.org/post/world-without-mind-how-tech-companies-pose-existential-threat
108184 as http://wrvo.orgMon, 11 Sep 2017 22:31:00 +0000'World Without Mind': How Tech Companies Pose An Existential ThreatAri ShapiroThe author Salman Rushdie has set his books all over the world. His most famous novels — Midnight's Children and The Satanic Verses — take place in India and the United Kingom, both countries where Rushdie has lived. His latest, The Golden House , is set in the city he now calls home, New York, and its themes are deeply American. There's a moment when one character says, "Your country is young — one thinks differently when one has millennia behind one; you have not even 250 years." Does that youthfulness shape Rushdie's view of the U.S.? "It's a very interesting thing," he says, "having been brought up in one very ancient country, India, and then having lived in a kind of reasonably old country, England, and then to come to a new country. They all have their slightly different characteristics." Interview Highlights On the youthfulness of the United States It's just the weight of history — America clearly has some very heavy, and even dark aspects to its history. But it's not likeLeaving The Past Behind — Or Trying To — In Rushdie's Latesthttp://wrvo.org/post/leaving-past-behind-or-trying-rushdies-latest
107953 as http://wrvo.orgTue, 05 Sep 2017 20:30:00 +0000Leaving The Past Behind — Or Trying To — In Rushdie's LatestAri ShapiroCopyright 2017 NPR. To see more, visit ARI SHAPIRO, HOST: People in China and South Korea felt a tremor over the weekend. It came from an underground explosion in North Korea. The North said it successfully detonated an advanced hydrogen bomb. There's no independent confirmation, but it appears the device tested was the country's most powerful yet. This has made a global crisis more intense. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) NIKKI HALEY: Enough is enough. SHAPIRO: The U.N. Security Council held an emergency meeting this morning in New York. U.S. Ambassador to the U.N. Nikki Haley had a warning for North Korean Leader Kim Jong Un. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) HALEY: His abusive use of missiles and his nuclear threats show that he is begging for war. War is never something the United States wants. We don't want it now. But our country's patience is not unlimited. We will defend our allies and our territory. SHAPIRO: Delegates from other countries said the focus needs to be onU.N. Security Council Urges More Robust Action Against North Koreahttp://wrvo.org/post/un-security-council-urges-more-robust-action-against-north-korea
107917 as http://wrvo.orgMon, 04 Sep 2017 21:50:00 +0000U.N. Security Council Urges More Robust Action Against North Korea